Wire-terminal clip for toy tracks



March 8 ,1927. 1,620,428

H. S. BECKER WIRE TERMINAL CLIP FOR TOY TRACKS Original Filed April 25. 1925 Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

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W'IRE TERMINAL CLIP not; TOY Terese;

Original application filed April 25. 1925, Serial No. 25.9%; Patent No; mimosa, date'd'De'eemherY; 192s. Divided'andthis applieatic n'filed July 2, 1928. Serial No. 120,223.

'l his invention relates to wire terminal clips for toy electric railway tracks, and more particularly to a connector of the type set forth. in my Patent No. 1,610,033, December 7, 1926, of which this case is a division.

Cars for toy electric trains are made in different sizes and therefore require tracks of different gauge according to the width of the trucks. Under the present and prior practice each'gau ge of track hasrequired a separate terminal clip or connector for attaching the power wires to the rails, thus necessitating as many sizes of terminal clips or connectors as there are gauges of track, thereby making it necessary to manufacture and stock separate terminal devices for the several gauges of track now in general use.

Accordingly, the present invention has primarily in view the provision of a single terminal clip which is adaptable to one or more gauges of track, thereby making it possible to standardize the terminal clips for a plurality of different tracks. This clip, therefore, has advantages not only from a manufacturing and commercial standpoint but also makes it possible for users having two sets of equipment to require only one terminal clip for either set.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. wire terminal clip or universal application wherein all of the parts are mounted on a suitable base in such a way as to present the possibility of short circuits between the metallic parts; the said parts being also adapted to be readily adjusted for use in connection with different gauge track without the removal of any part, while at the same time means are also provided for,

conveniently and securely holding the line wires.

\Vith the above and other objects in View which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawin s, in whieh:-

Fig. i a a plan view of the clip coast-i tilting the present invention applied to a and also holdingthe body A in position.

According to? the embodiment of. the in ventio'n shown in the drawings'it will beobserved, from Figs. 1 and2, that theinsulation baseA is provided with thesl'ot w and carries at one edge thereof the. permanent track engaging abutment l having the wire terminal clip 3 electrically connected therewith while the wire terminal clip 8 also carried on the base A is secured in position by the fastening 7 in the same way as in the other form of the invention. The said fastening 7 has connected thereto a wire or equivalent electrical connection 12 leading to a clamping device including a screw 13, the head of which is exposed at the top surface of the member A while the nut portion 14 is arranged at the bottom of the plate and receives the shank of the screw 13 which passes through an opening in the base A adjacent the closed end of the slot- 00. The clamping nut 14 is adapted to cooperate with a sliding third rail engaging member 0 whereby the third rail engaging hook portion 14 thereof may be moved to different locations from the fixed abutment A thereby to engage the third rail of tracks of different gauge. As will be observed from the drawings, the third-rail-engaging member 0' comprises a body portion having the hook 14- previously referred to at one end thereof and the central longitudinal slot 15 engages over the shank of the screw 13 and permits longitudinal adjustment of the plate beneath the clamping nut 14*. As the hook portion 14 of the plate projects upwardly through the slot a! it is guided in its movement in such a way that relative disalinement or twisting of the plate is prevented, and all that is necessary is to tighten or loosen the nut 14; to effect the desired adjustment of the thirdrail-engaging member C.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a universal terminal clip for toy railway tracks of difierent gauge wherein all of the parts are so mounted and arranged as to prevent short circuiting while at the same time all of the power line-wires may be securely held to the clip body.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A detachable universal Wire terminal clip device for toy railway track including an insulating base having a slot open at one edge thereof, a relatively fixed rail engaging contact element, carried by said base at the edge thereof opposite the slot, and a third rail engaging unit having shiftable third rail engaging means lying within the slot, and a terminal member carried by the base and connected with said third rail unit.

2. A detachable universal Wire terminal clip device {or toy railway track inclui'ling an insulating base having a slot open at one edge thereof, a relatively fixed rail engaging contact element, carried bv said base at the edge thereof opposite the slot and a sliding third rail engaging unit having third rail engaging means lying within the slot, and a terminal member carried by the base and connected with said third rail unit.

3. A detachable universal wire terminal clip device for toy railway track including an insulating base carried therewith, a fixed rail engaging contact abutment and. said base also having a slot, a clamping member adjacent one end of said slot, and a third rail engaging member adjustably connected to the base by said clamping device and having a portion adapted to be set at ditterent positions within said slot, and means for establishing electrical contact with said third rail engaging member.

4. A detachable universal wire terminal clip device for toy railway track including an insulating base having a relatively fixed rail engaging contact abutn'ient, and a provided with a slot, at third rail engaging member having a portion pro ected through and slidably guided in said slot. and clamping means carried by the base for setting said third rail engaging member at any desired location in the slot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ali'ii; my signature.

HARRY S. BECKER. 

